'Starring Great Britain' campaign aims to leverage film and television locations to attract Indian tourists (Photo: Garima Sharma)
In order to promote bilateral ties in culture, tourism and creative industries, Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, of the United Kingdom recently signed a bilateral cultural cooperation agreement with Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister for Culture and Tourism, Government of India, in New Delhi.
The agreement marks a significant step in strengthening the cultural and tourism relationship between India and the UK.
The signing of the agreement, at the British Council in New Delhi, was followed by the showcase of a new promotional campaign by Patricia Yates, CEO, VisitBritain, the tourism promotion organisation of the UK as well as an announcement about the 10th edition of Serendipity Arts Festival, that will be held in Goa in December.
Lisa Nandy highlights the UK government’s cultural diplomacy strategy and the role that international collaborations play in promoting the growth of sustainable tourism
According to Yates, the new campaign aims to leverage film and television locations to attract Indian tourists by highlighting the UK’s historical, cultural and modern attractions.
Also Read: VisitBritain launches global campaign “Starring GREAT Britain” to boost inbound tourism
On the occasion, Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, also hosted a reception that was attended by senior government officials, cultural leaders, media representatives and industry stakeholders.
In her address, Nandy highlighted the UK government’s cultural diplomacy strategy and the role that international collaborations play in promoting the growth of sustainable tourism. She said that the agreement signed is to boost the shared ambitions across the two nations for their greater cultural partnership and collaboration. She also discussed the significance of programmes such as the ‘Starring Great Britain’ campaign in promoting the UK’s varied cultural offerings and said that they both the nations are working for 75 years to build on and strengthen the cultural bridges that exist between India and UK.
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat highlighted the long-standing collaboration between the UK and India
Addressing the gathering, Shekhawat highlighted the long-standing collaboration between the UK and India, especially in the tourism and creative industries. He emphasised the common goal of establishing interpersonal relationships and advancing understanding between cultures.
In her address, Alison Barrett, Country Director, British Council, restated the British Council’s commitment to promoting joint initiatives and fostering communication between the two nations.
Also Read: VisitBritain partners with Expedia to launch campaign to highlight regional destinations
An exclusive performance by well-known Indian singer Vidya Shah and her team was the highlight of the event
The gathering was also given a sneak peek of a UK-India joint performance by well-known Indian singer Vidya Shah and her group. According to Barrett, Shah’s performance demonstrated the creative synergy between the two countries and was a prelude to the Serendipity Arts Festival, which will hold its 10th edition in Goa in December, followed by a mini edition in Birmingham, UK, in May 2026.
Serendipity Arts Festival will be held in Goa in December as well as in UK in May 2026
The organisers said that the new agreement was set to facilitate increased UK creative exports to India, encourage partnerships between museums and promote joint exhibitions and public programmes. The implementation of the agreement will involve the British Council, the Indian Ministry of Culture and major UK institutions such as the British Library and the Science Museum Group.
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